


Focused

by catsaremyboyfriend



Series: Asexual Snuggle Buddies [9]
Category: Hawkeye (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Asexual Relationship, Other, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-27 23:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2710778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsaremyboyfriend/pseuds/catsaremyboyfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wow, there are a lot of these. Maybe I should put them in as chapters instead?</p></blockquote>





	Focused

“I’ve seen so many people die, Kate,” he says when he’s rescued her and they’re on the Quinjet home, her sweaty head in his lap. He touches her hair, their mark on her shoulder, the cut on her bottom lip. Precious Kate. 

Madame Masque has had her for three days. “So many people, Kate. Why so many?” 

She turns her face to his stomach and breathes out. “I should be the one having an anxiety attack.”

“I can’t lose you, Kate.”

“Oh my _God_. Clint, honey, I’m here. You can feel me breathing.” 

He bows his head over her. “You’re so important, Katie.”

She touches his cheek with a grimy hand. “So are you.” 

 

At home, they strip to underwear and shower together, more about comfort than being clean. He squeezes the strong muscles of her arms and cleans out the new scars.

She brushes dirt out of his hair and kisses his forehead. He tells himself that he didn’t think she was dead. He tells himself that it wouldn’t make him hollow.

 

He rests with his chin on the soft skin of her stomach, arms under her hips. He’ll hold her through the inevitable nightmares and panic attacks, because people like them don’t do therapy. She strokes the large muscles in his shoulders while the space heater hums. Clint does his best to get proper heating for all tenants, but there’s still a chill. He bought Simone’s boys one, too.

He knows that Tony would gladly pay for heating and more, but Barton’s have never taken charity before, and they won’t as long as he can help it. Then he starts thinking about Kate again, and the whimpering noises she’d made when he unlatched the cuffs cutting bloody welts into her wrists, the way even Stark had been careful around him. 

Kate drags her nails up the nape of his neck. “You’re freaking again. Touch my jugular.” 

He glances up at her. “Hmph?” 

“Touch my jugular.” He reaches up and presses two fingers to her neck. “Feel that? It’s my heartbeat.” 

“I know what a jugular is, Kate. I’m a trained assassin.” 

She shushes him. “It’s my heartbeat. Means I’m right here with you.” He feels the tension leak out of his body. “I’m right here.” 

She rests both hands between his shoulder blades and digs her nails in. A little pain always grounds him. “Alright, Kate.” He takes his aides out and falls asleep to the steady thump of her heart beat.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, there are a lot of these. Maybe I should put them in as chapters instead?


End file.
